Lowcountry summer living at its finest.

Cara's life is coming together while raising her daughter and planning a wedding. When the unthinkable happens, her life spirals out of control, and she's picking up the pieces while deciding her future, questioning her upcoming marriage, the cottage, and more.

Linnea's back home and starting over. Thanks to Cara, her new job brings purpose as well as fulfilling her family's legacy with the sea turtles. An unexpected romance completes her summer as they share time together before he must leave for England.

Both women are finding a new way of life while still finding time for family and life on Ocean Boulevard.

A wonderful story in this endearing series set in the coastal South Carolina Lowcountry. 

**received an ARC on Netgalley**

Review will be posted on 8/28/2020

Linnea returns home to Sullivan's Island with her tail between her legs. Not only is her relationship over, but her job that she relocated for is no longer. Now she is returning home to live with her parents and start fresh. Things are going somewhat well for the Rutledge family. Cara, Linnea's aunt, is balancing the job of being a mother to a young child, working a full-time job at the aquarium, and planning a wedding. Cue all the stress. Then there's Linnea's parents who have relocated from their gorgeous Charleston house to their beach cottage full time, but their lives have been downsized tremendously both socially and square-footage wise. Linnea tries to get her footing back at home and finds herself getting involved with the turtle ladies, just like her grandmother did, and meeting new people including a possible love interest. However, the Rutledge family has many obstacles to conquer and serious issues on the horizon. Fans of the Beach House series, as well as new readers, will love to jump right in to the family drama and naturalists will especially appreciate all the beautiful details in On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe.

Fans of the Beach House series will be familiar with the Rutledge family; however, you don't have to be an avid reader of the series to fully appreciate the family dynamics in On Ocean Boulevard. Readers will appreciate this close-knit family and can relate to their ups and downs. Cara is struggling with all that life is throwing her right now despite the fact that it's mostly good things. She's overextended due to the wedding planning, her daughter's needs, and her work requirements; plus, some of the issues with her friends who are like family to her are troubling. What should be an amazing time in her life is causing more stress than not due to the fact that what she wants the wedding to look like is a lot different than what her fiancé wants. Plus, where will they live one they are married?

Linnea's journey is easily relatable in On Ocean Boulevard as she finds herself back at square one looking for a job, a social life, and finding out what she truly wants out of life. She turns to the ocean and the turtles for some clarity and peace of mind. While taking care of the turtles, she meets a new friend and through this friend, a possible love interest. But things aren't always easy for Linnea. She is struggling to find a job in her highly saturated field; plus, she is worried about her mother who has given up all her hobbies and friends since moving to the beach. Then there's her dad who holds her to a very high standard, but she worries about his drinking and his money issues.

What I love the most about Mary Alice Monroe's novels is her descriptions of nature. They are really quite good and she brings the coastal setting of the Low Country to life like no other. Readers can tell that she truly knows her wildlife, especially turtles. She brings important environmental causes like saving turtles, as well as the use of plastics and its impact on the ocean to the forefront in her novels and I love that.

If you are looking for a beach read that includes family drama, but also breathtaking details about the natural world look no further. I think Mary Alice Monroe is the best at what she does.

When twenty-something Linnea returns home to the beachy shore of South Carolina, she’s upset. Her life is not going as planned and she doesn’t know what to do about it. She solicits her Aunt Cara – a business woman – for advice.

While Linnea and Cara work together for a worthy cause, so much happens in their lives. Cara is engaged, but, is it the right choice for her? Widowed, and single mom to an adopted child, she wonders if she’d be happier remaining an independent business woman. She does wonder if she should be spending more time with her adopted daughter instead of working so many hours. Her relationship with her fiancé and daughter is somewhat complex. The complexity of her relationships with them stem in part from Cara’s troubled upbringing and her workaholic attitude.

Linnea is finding it hard to fit in with her old friends, so, she makes a couple of new friends. The new people who are introduced into her life bring about drastic changes in her career and her love life.

I think environmentalists would find this book profoundly interesting. Both Linnea and Cara are passionate about the well-being of the sea turtles. There’s an emotional scene where we actually see the sea turtles hatching in the middle of the night. It sounded so amazing that I wanted to be there to see it myself.

There is a vignette at the beginning of each chapter. These vignettes highlight the beauty and plight of the sea turtles, the oceans and the environment. Reading this book will make you think about recycling, and doing things to help preserve the earth’s wildlife.

This was such a cozy, wonderful read. The characters and the situations they face may make you laugh and cry. For me, this was an emotional book. 00 I highly recommend it.

Mary Alice Monroe remains one of my favorite authors. ‘On Ocean Boulevard’, will not disappoint avid MA Monroe fans, and new fans alike. Set on the islands of Charleston, SC ( Low Country) this book is a perfect summer read, mixing romance, family, beach conservation and turtles. On Ocean Boulevard shows us we are never too old to find love, and make new starts. I highly recommend adding this Mary Alice Monroe book to your reading list.

Mary Alice Monroe's books transport me to the Low Country of South Carolina and her love of the area shines through in her writing. The latest in the Beach House series brings us back to Primrose Cottage in Isle of Palms and the sea turtles laying their eggs on the beach. Cara Rutledge, the main character in this series, is engaged to be married and her brother Palmer is rebuilding his life and is Cara's business partner in building a beach house. Palmer's daughter Linnea has also returned to the Low Country to re-start her life. I loved seeing where the characters in this book would end up by the end and also enjoy all of the information on the sea turtles and the conservation efforts to protect them. This book can be read as a stand alone, but all of the books in this series are wonderful.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

On ocean boulevard is a low country delight. Linnea is home , a spent relationship, started through a need to find her own path. Linnea moved away to stand on her own, and returns to lick her wounds in familiar territory. Family and friends help her see that change comes slowly like the turtles she has loved and protected like all the women in her family. Her aunt Cara is rewriting her story,set to marry again , realizing how lucky a second chance at love is, is afraid to lose her hard fought independence. Twists and turns complicated and then resolve. You learn a lot about turtles and second chances in this story. Happy reading

Thank you to Net Galley and Gallery Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It's summer whenever a Mary Alice Monroe book comes out. While this one was not one of my favorites in the Beach House series, it was an easy, breezy summer read. Taking you away to the beach was perfect for quarantine reading.I just wish the story kept my interest a little more than it did.

From beginning to end, this was a great book. I loved the turtle information included in the book, Very entertaining.

I enjoyed this continuation of the story. I appreciate being able to hear about characters I have come to know. Charleston is one of my favorite cities to visit so it is especially nice reading about it and seeing it through another persons eyes.

A beautiful book. The Rutledge family and beach house were back and the sea turtles preservation.
I loved the writing, every word had a hidden depth which enveloped the emotions. The descriptions blew me away and transported me to the Seaside.
It was a perfect read during stressful times.

I have been a Mary Alice Monroe fan for a long time, and any new book in her The Beach House series and the Rutledge family is like catching up with an old friend. (That said, you don't need to have read the earlier books to jump into this story.)

This latest installment didn’t disappoint. It is a fast-paced, easy read. As always, it leaves me longing for the beach, as Monroe is always so lovingly descriptive with her setting, and her passion for sea turtles and the nuggets of information she drops at the beginning of chapters are an added bonus.

Like much of the stories involving various members of the Rutledge family, this one is about facing the roadblocks and curveballs life hands you and finding your place in the world. I will admit, I was surprised by Cara's reticence to speak her mind about not wanting a large wedding, as it felt a little out of character.

I am hopeful that the story will continue as want to know what is next for Linnea and Cara in particular, but I will say that it does feel like the story has come full circle..

I love Mary Alice Monroe and I love love love The Beach House series. This latest installment didn’t disappoint. The story line is perfect for a beach read but not too cheesy or predictable. I love that with each new book the series moves forward and opens the door for more story to overall family history of the Rutledge family of Charleston. My favorite part of all Mary Alice Monroe books is the science and research that goes into the book. This particular series focuses on turtles and each chapter opens with a little info about the turtle, I just love that!

I hope to hear there is more coming!

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Shuster Publishing for the advanced copy asking only for my honest opinion.

The Beach House series was a series that my mom and I shared every summer. I feel in love with the series because it centered around sea turtles and my mom loved the setting. She was so excited about the release date but unfortunately, she did not get to read it before passing. I opened the book expecting to be too sad to read it but Mary Alice writes with such beauty that I felt comforted. The sense of family made me think of my mom and I felt like I was able to cross my first speed bump in the grief process.

I have no idea if there are to be more in the series but in case there is not I felt like On Ocean Boulevard came full circle from book one. Cara, Emmi, Flo, and other characters are family. You fall in love with book one and never want it to end. I believe this will be a series that I will read over and over again.

If you love the ocean, the Lowcountry, sea turtles, and/or how to conserve our environment for our future generations this is the series for you. You can start with any book as each is written as a stand-alone. The books are best read with a glass of sweet tea in your hand.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Gallery Books, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Monroe although I know that she is a seasoned author who writes novels based in the south.  I am delighted to have spent time with the characters she creates and recommend this women's fiction title as one to add to your summer/vacation reading list.


I am pretty sure that the characters in this book have been in other books written by the author.  I did not find that to interfere with my becoming involved in their lives.  The story is about several generations including Linnea who has recently upended her life and Cara who is about to marry for the second time as the novel begins.  Linnea's parents are among the other character whose story is told.


In addition to writing about characters that I cared about, I think that the author created a wonderful sense of place.  While I may not actually travel this summer, I certainly enjoyed my time in the Isle of Palms.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Alice Monroe brings us a new installment in the lives of the Rutledge family. It's summer, Parker is trying to stay sober and rebuild his life, and Julia is considering a new business venture to add to the family coffers.

Linnea has returned from California. She and her fiancee have split, and she's lost her job. Cara finds employment for Linnea at the Aquarium, and Linnea begins to pick up the pieces.

Cara is busy caring for her daughter and planning her wedding to David. When her little girl becomes ill with a deadly disease, under circumstances thought to be impossible, Cara must reassess her priorities.

I would highly recommend this title to anyone who loves women's fiction.

#OnOceanBoulevard#NetGalley

On Ocean Boulevard this book was an experience to read it because I didn't expect it at all.. when I started reading this book I wasn't feeling the characters and the story I didn't know if I was going to continue reading it until I hit 50% and everything change so dramatically for me that I wanted to continue getting to know more about Cara and all those great characters.

I'm so glad I kept reading this book, it was a complete surprise. On Ocean Boulevard is the story of Cara a beautiful woman who has the time ad the strength to help and give so much love to everybody around her.. it is the story of many strong women who have come together and are helping other to heal.

We get to meet a lot of great characters that bring so much to this story like Linea who is also running away from something that hurt her seeking to start all over in a place where she could be surrounded by love and kindness...

On Ocean Boulevard it is the story of a family that is very close and is trying to survive whatever life throws at them, love, faith, and hope are emotions that are very present in this story, it is enjoyable, emotional but at the same time full of teachings for these amazing characters.

I did enjoy the story and I'm glad I gave it a chance.

I absolutely adore Mary Alice's books. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a little attached to the Rutledge fam, and I'm hoping this book will lead to even more. I feel as though there may be a few more stories left to tell.

We find ourselves back on Isle of Palms in South Carolina with all of our favorite characters. On Ocean Boulevard focuses on Linnea, Cara's niece, and Cara herself. It's been many years since Cara came home and Linnea is now coming back with the proverbial tail between her legs. Her parents didn't want her to go to California to begin with and now she is back home, jobless and boyfriendless, hoping not to have to hear an "I told you so". Cara is planning her second wedding and in business with her brother Palmer, but tragedy strikes and everyone and everything is put on hold. Linnea and Cara are reminded that family is everything and it is ok to lean on one another once in a while.

With the story characteristically told around sea turtle and ocean conservation, the Rutledge family will encounter love, loss, new friendships, and even a little enlightening.

Sit yourself down around some jasmine, turn on your ocean sounds (or if you're lucky enough, head out to the beach), and get comfy. You got some catching up to do over On Ocean Boulevard.

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I love these beach house books. What a great way to kick off summer! As always, it was a nice read to catch up on Cara and friends in this years installment. I was pleased to see Toy mentioned as I often wonder what happened to her. I have to say I was blown away by the measles epidemic as covid 19 is occurring in the world. So many things hit right on the head for right now. I bet the author was shocked as well! Always a recommended author for those that love beach stories.

On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe is the 6th book in her Beach House series. This is the first book I have read in this series, but it read very well as a standalone. This story revolves mostly around two women, Linnea Rutledge and her aunt, Cara Rutledge taking place near Charleston, South Carolina.

Linnea returns home after losing her job, as well as breaking up with her boyfriend. She plans to stay with her parents, but stops to see her Aunt Cara, at Primrose Cottage, which has been a mainstay during Linnea’s childhood, and the memories of her grandmother, Lovie.

Cara is not home when Linnea arrives, as she is busy with her friends planning on her upcoming fancy and expensive wedding, which she privately prefers to be a simple small one. Cara is 55 years old, and after being widowed for many years, she is happily in love with David, as well as having a young child, Hope, who David also loves. When she finally comes home, she is thrilled to see Linnea, and together they talk about each of their own issues; Linnea always seeks Cara for advice. What I loved about this story was the close relationships between most of the women, whether it be mother and daughter; aunt and niece, friendships- old and new and how when things get tough, these people will always find a way to be there for each other. Beautifully done.

What follows is following Cara’s life as things fall apart, when a terrible illness brings everything to halt, with her questioning the decisions she has made, including her upcoming marriage. We also get to see Linnea’s life changing for the better, as with some help from her aunt, she finds a temporary job that could lead to permanent employment, and a boyfriend she never expected to find. I also loved when Linnea also found two new friends upon returning home.

On Ocean Boulevard also revolves around Cara’s Primrose Cottage on the Isle of Palms, which has so much meaning to her, as well as to Linnea, who always visits. Again, since this is the 6th book in this series, the meaning of this cottage beach house is little lost since I have not read the earlier books, but I do see how much it means to everyone. Monroe has created some wonderful characters, besides Cara and Linnea; such as Hope, Emmi, Flo, David, Palmer, Julia, Annabelle, just to name a few. I enjoyed the insights to the loggerhead turtles nesting, and the conservative groups to prevent plastics into the oceans.

On Ocean Boulevard was a sweet wonderful story, with fantastic characters, friendships, family, love; as well as various issues pertaining to environment or important home issues. Mary Alice Monroe has written a wonderful story that you will enjoy.

When it comes to the perfect heartfelt, summery reads, Mary Alice Monroe always delivers. On Ocean Boulevard was no exception and a delight to get swept up in from start to finish. I loved this story of family, self-discovery, love, new beginnings, and environmentalism (particularly when it comes to the health of our beaches/oceans/seat turtle population). Mixed with a most wonderful group of characters of all ages, a charming Southern feel, and gorgeous writing, it had oh so much going for it and I was left absolutely inspired by this beautiful story. This is a gem of a book and I couldn’t recommend it more!

Thank you so much to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the complimentary copy.